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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: cap · rule · leaves · stand · root · pitcher · sharp · fall

  1. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. root — the cause
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. rule — a law
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. sharp — clever
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. fall — to drop
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. cap — a lid
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. fall — to drop
  16. stand — to bear
  17. cap — a hat
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. root — of a word
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. root — of a plant
  22. fall — the season
  23. rule — government
  24. cap — of ice

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com